Would you drive your car for 100,000 miles without changing the oil? Of course you wouldn't. To keep your engine in good working order, you change the oil and do a tune up once and a while, right? Your automobile is a significant purchase and you want to maintain that investment.

Your carpet is the same way. In fact, your flooring in general represents a significant investment and needs to be maintained properly. What are the warranty requirements? How often should carpet be cleaned? What are some of the things you should avoid?

Check the Warranty. Copies of specific warranties on your carpet purchase may be available from your carpet retailer. Stain resist warranties can vary from 5 to 20 years. All Stain Resistant Warranties require regular cleaning and immediate spot removal!

Listed Below are Common Stains our Clients most frequently asked Us How To Clean:

Acid toilet bowl cleaners, acne medication, alkaline drain cleaners, chlorinated bleach, hair dyes, iodine, insecticides, mustard with turmeric, plant fertilizers and stains of this nature cannot be removed as they have permanently altered the carpet's color. Call a professional. Most likely the only solution is to insert carpet from a closet, or some other area into the area where the spot is cut out.

Remove as much of the asphalt as possible by blotting with a white paper towel or scraping with a dull knife.

Apply isopropyl rubbing alcohol to a clean white cloth, white paper towel or cotton ball. If the spot extends deep into the pile use a blotting motion until the spot is removed or no color is transferred to the cloth. Do not allow the alcohol to penetrate into the backing as this will destroy the latex bond. If the spot is on the surface only, rub in one direction at a time. Never use a circular motion to remove the spot as this may destroy the texture. Stop if spot is removed. If not, continue with the next step.

Apply a small quantity of detergent solution to the spot. (To make the detergent solution mix 1/4 teaspoon of a hand dish washing detergent which does not contain lanolin or bleach with 1 quart of water; examples of safe detergents are Dawn® and Joy®.) Use a blotting motion to work the detergent into the affected area. If spot is being removed continue applying detergent solution and blotting with a white paper towel until spot is removed.

Rinse with tap water using a spray bottle, blot to remove excess moisture.

Spray lightly with water, do not blot this time; apply pad of paper towels and brick and allow to dry.

If there is still some stain on the carpet and blotting is not removing it, then moisten the tufts in the stained area with 3% hydrogen peroxide. Let stand for on (1) hour. Blot and repeat until carpet is stain free. Light will cause peroxide to change back to water so no rinsing is necessary.

Remove as much of the stain as possible by blotting with a white paper towel, then neutralize with an ammonia solution (1 tablespoon of clear household ammonia to 1/2 cup of water.). Saturate spot with the ammonia solution using a spray bottle. Do not wet backing. Blot with a white paper towel to remove excess moisture. All solutions for removing blood must be cool.

Apply a small quantity of detergent solution to the spot. (To make the detergent solution mix 1/4 teaspoon of a hand dish washing detergent which does not contain lanolin or bleach with 1 quart of water; examples of safe detergents are Dawn® and Joy®.) Use a blotting motion to work the detergent into the affected area. If spot is being removed continue applying detergent and blotting with a white paper towel until spot is removed.

Rinse with tap water using a spray bottle, blot to remove excess moisture.

Spray lightly with water, do not blot this time; apply pad of paper towels and brick and allow to dry.

If there is still some stain on the carpet and blotting is not removing it, then moisten the tufts in the stained area with 3% hydrogen peroxide. Let stand for on (1) hour. Blot and repeat until carpet is stain free. Light will cause peroxide to change back to water so no rinsing is necessary. Apply pad of paper towels and weight down with brick.

Remove as much of the stain as possible by blotting with a white paper towel or scraping with a dull knife, then neutralize with an ammonia solution (1 tablespoon of clear household ammonia to 1/2 cup of water). Saturate spot with the ammonia solution using spray bottle. Do not wet backing. Blot with a white paper towel to remove excess moisture.

Apply a small quantity of detergent solution to the spot. (To make the detergent solution mix 1/4 teaspoon of a hand dish washing detergent which does not contain lanolin or bleach with 1 quart of water; examples of safe detergents are Dawn® and Joy®.) Use a blotting motion to work the detergent into the affected area. If spot is being removed continue applying detergent and blotting with a white paper towel until spot is removed.

Rinse with tap water using a spray bottle, blot to remove excess moisture.

Spray lightly with water, do not blot this time; apply pad of paper towels and brick and allow to dry.

If there is still some stain on the carpet and blotting is not removing it, then moisten the tufts in the stained area with 3% hydrogen peroxide. Let stand for on (1) hour. Blot and repeat until carpet is stain free. Light will cause peroxide to change back to water so no rinsing is necessary. Apply pad of paper towels and weight down with brick.

Shatter the frozen gum with a knife handle and vacuum. Some citrus based products such as De-Solv-It® or Orange-Sol® have been demonstrated to break down the stickiness of gum so that it can be removed.

Blot up as much of the spill as is possible. A wet vacuum is useful if a large quantity of liquid was spilled.

If spot has dried, saturate the tufts in the affected area with tap water (do not over-wet). Allow to remain for about 1 minute and blot. If the spot is being removed using water, continue until the spot is completely removed. Blot dry and apply the paper towels and brick. If the stain is not completely removed, continue.

Apply a small quantity of detergent solution to the spot. (To make the detergent solution mix 1/4 teaspoon of a hand dish washing detergent which does not contain lanolin or bleach with 1 quart of water; examples of safe detergents are Dawn® and Joy®.) Use a blotting motion to work the detergent into the affected area. If spot is being removed continue applying detergent and blotting with a white paper towel until spot is removed.

Rinse with tap water using a spray bottle, blot to remove excess moisture.

Spray lightly with water, do not blot this time; apply pad of paper towels and brick and allow to dry.

If there is still some stain on the carpet and blotting is not removing it, then moisten the tufts in the stained area with 3% hydrogen peroxide. Let stand for on (1) hour. Blot and repeat until carpet is stain free. Light will cause peroxide to change back to water so no rinsing is necessary. Apply pad of paper towels and weight down with brick.

Acid toilet bowl cleaners, acne medication, alkaline drain cleaners, chlorinated bleach, hair dyes, iodine, insecticides, mustard with turmeric, plant fertilizers and stains of this nature cannot be removed as they have permanently altered the carpet's color. Call a professional. Most likely the only solution is to insert carpet from a closet, or some other area into the area where the spot is cut out.

Remove as much of the stain as possible by blotting with white paper towel or scraping with a dull knife, then neutralize with an ammonia solution (1 tablespoon of clear household ammonia to 1/2 cup of water). Saturate spot with ammonia solution using spray bottle. Do not wet backing. Blot with a white paper towel to remove excess moisture. All solutions for removing chocolate must be cool.

Remove as much of the spill as possible by blotting with a white paper towel or scraping with a dull knife.

Apply a small quantity of detergent solution to the spot. (To make the detergent solution mix 1/4 teaspoon of a hand dish washing detergent which does not contain lanolin or bleach with 1 quart of water; examples of safe detergents are Dawn® and Joy®.) Use a blotting motion to work the detergent into the affected area. If spot is being removed continue applying detergent and blotting with a white paper towel until spot is removed.

Rinse with tap water using a spray bottle, blot to remove excess moisture.

Spray lightly with water, do not blot this time; apply pad of paper towels and brick and allow to dry.

If there is still some stain on the carpet and blotting is not removing it, then moisten the tufts in the stained area with 3% hydrogen peroxide. Let stand for on (1) hour. Blot and repeat until carpet is stain free. Light will cause peroxide to change back to water so no rinsing is necessary. Apply pad of paper towels and weight down with brick.

Blot with a white paper towel to remove as much of the stain as possible then neutralize with the white vinegar solution (1/3 cup WHITE vinegar to 2/3 cup of water). Saturate spot with white vinegar solution, using a spray bottle and blot to remove excess moisture.

Apply a small quantity of detergent solution to the spot. (To make the detergent solution mix 1/4 teaspoon of a hand dish washing detergent which does not contain lanolin or bleach with 1 quart of water; examples of safe detergents are Dawn® and Joy®.) Use a blotting motion to work the detergent into the affected area. If spot is being removed continue applying detergent and blotting with a white paper towel until spot is removed.

Rinse with tap water using a spray bottle, blot to remove excess moisture.

Spray lightly with water, do not blot this time; apply pad of paper towels and brick and allow to dry.

If there is still some stain on the carpet and blotting is not removing it, then moisten the tufts in the stained area with 3% hydrogen peroxide. Let stand for on (1) hour. Blot and repeat until carpet is stain free. Light will cause peroxide to change back to water so no rinsing is necessary. Apply pad of paper towels and weight down with brick.

Remove as much of the excess material as possible by using a spoon or dull knife. Blot up as much of the stain as possible.

Neutralize by spraying the affected area with the ammonia solution (1 tablespoon of clear household ammonia and 1/2 cup of water). Care should be taken to remove all protein matter. Blot to remove excess moisture

Apply a small quantity of detergent solution to the spot. (To make the detergent solution mix 1/4 teaspoon of a hand dish washing detergent which does not contain lanolin or bleach with 1 quart of water; examples of safe detergents are Dawn® and Joy®.) Use a blotting motion to work the detergent into the affected area. If spot is being removed continue applying detergent and blotting with a white paper towel until spot is removed.

Rinse with tap water using a spray bottle, blot to remove excess moisture.

Spray lightly with water, do not blot this time; apply pad of paper towels and brick and allow to dry.

If there is still some stain on the carpet and blotting is not removing it, then moisten the tufts in the stained area with 3% hydrogen peroxide. Let stand for on (1) hour. Blot and repeat until carpet is stain free. Light will cause peroxide to change back to water so no rinsing is necessary. Apply pad of paper towels and weight down with brick.

Blot up as much of the spill as is possible. A wet vacuum is useful if a large quantity of liquid was spilled. If spot has dried, saturate the tufts in the affected area with tap water (do not over-wet). Allow to remain for about 1 minute and blot. If the spot is being removed using water, continue until the spot is completely removed. Blot dry and apply paper towels and brick. If the stain is not completely removed go to the next step.

Apply a small quantity of detergent solution to the spot. (To make the detergent solution mix 1/4 teaspoon of a hand dish washing detergent which does not contain lanolin or bleach with 1 quart of water; examples of safe detergents are Dawn® and Joy®.) Use a blotting motion to work the detergent into the affected area. If spot is being removed continue applying detergent and blotting with a white paper towel until spot is removed.

Rinse with tap water using a spray bottle, blot to remove excess moisture.

Spray lightly with water, do not blot this time; apply pad of paper towels and brick and allow to dry.

If there is still some stain on the carpet and blotting is not removing it, then moisten the tufts in the stained area with 3% hydrogen peroxide. Let stand for on (1) hour. Blot and repeat until carpet is stain free. Light will cause peroxide to change back to water so no rinsing is necessary. Apply pad of paper towels and weight down with brick.

Acid toilet bowl cleaners, acne medication, alkaline drain cleaners, chlorinated bleach, hair dyes, iodine, insecticides, mustard with turmeric, plant fertilizers and stains of this nature cannot be removed as they have permanently altered the carpet's color. Call a professional. Most likely the only solution is to insert carpet from a closet, or some other area into the area where the spot is cut out.

Remove as much of the nail polish as possible using a spoon or dull knife.

Apply a non-oily nail polish remover to a clean white cloth and gently rub (in only one direction at a time) or blot the spot. Continue until spot is removed. Do not allow nail polish remover to get to the latex backing. Go to the next step to remove nail polish remover.

Apply a small quantity of detergent solution to the spot. (To make the detergent solution mix 1/4 teaspoon of a hand dish washing detergent which does not contain lanolin or bleach with 1 quart of water; examples of safe detergents are Dawn® and Joy®.) Use a blotting motion to work the detergent into the affected area. If spot is being removed continue applying detergent and blotting with a white paper towel until spot is removed.

Rinse with tap water using a spray bottle, blot to remove excess moisture.

Spray lightly with water, do not blot this time; apply pad of paper towels and brick and allow to dry.

If there is still some stain on the carpet and blotting is not removing it, then moisten the tufts in the stained area with 3% hydrogen peroxide. Let stand for on (1) hour. Blot and repeat until carpet is stain free. Light will cause peroxide to change back to water so no rinsing is necessary. Apply pad of paper towels and weight down with brick.

Saturate spot with lemon juice, using a spray bottle, and allow to remain for 5 minutes.

Then go to the next step to remove lemon juice. If this does not work, and it may not, call a professional. Most rust removers contain a very strong acid and are, therefore, not recommended for use by homeowners.

Blot up as much of the liquid with a white paper towel.

Apply a small quantity of detergent solution to the spot. (To make the detergent solution mix 1/4 teaspoon of a hand dish washing detergent which does not contain lanolin or bleach with 1 quart of water; examples of safe detergents are Dawn® and Joy®.) Use a blotting motion to work the detergent into the affected area. If spot is being removed continue applying detergent and blotting with a white paper towel until spot is removed.

Rinse with tap water using a spray bottle, blot to remove excess moisture.

Spray lightly with water, do not blot this time; apply pad of paper towels and brick and allow to dry.

If there is still some stain on the carpet and blotting is not removing it, then moisten the tufts in the stained area with 3% hydrogen peroxide. Let stand for on (1) hour. Blot and repeat until carpet is stain free. Light will cause peroxide to change back to water so no rinsing is necessary. Apply pad of paper towels and weight down with brick.

Vacuum, using crevice tool of vacuum cleaner to remove the soot. If all, or most, of the soot has not been removed, call a professional cleaner. If vacuuming has removed all particles go to the next step

Remove as much of the foreign material as possible by blotting with a white paper towel or scraping with a dull knife.

Apply isopropyl rubbing alcohol to a clean white cloth, white paper towel or cotton ball. If the spot extends deep into the pile use a blotting motion until the spot is removed or no color is transferred to the cloth. Do not allow the alcohol to penetrate into the backing as this will destroy the latex bond. If the spot is on the surface only, rub in one direction at a time. Never us a circular motion to remove spot as this may destroy the texture. Stop if spot is removed. If not, go to the next step.

Apply a small quantity of detergent solution to the spot. (To make the detergent solution mix 1/4 teaspoon of a hand dish washing detergent which does not contain lanolin or bleach with 1 quart of water; examples of safe detergents are Dawn® and Joy®.) Use a blotting motion to work the detergent into the affected area. If spot is being removed continue applying detergent and blotting with a white paper towel until spot is removed.

Rinse with tap water using a spray bottle, blot to remove excess moisture.

Spray lightly with water, do not blot this time; apply pad of paper towels and brick and allow to dry.

If there is still some stain on the carpet and blotting is not removing it, then moisten the tufts in the stained area with 3% hydrogen peroxide. Let stand for on (1) hour. Blot and repeat until carpet is stain free. Light will cause peroxide to change back to water so no rinsing is necessary. Apply pad of paper towels and weight down with brick.

Blot with a white paper towel to remove as much of the stain as possible.

Neutralize with the white vinegar solution (1/3 cup WHIE vinegar and 2/3 cup of water). Saturate spot with the white vinegar solution, using a spray bottle and blot to remove excess moisture.

Apply a small quantity of detergent solution to the spot. (To make the detergent solution mix 1/4 teaspoon of a hand dish washing detergent which does not contain lanolin or bleach with 1 quart of water; examples of safe detergents are Dawn® and Joy®.) Use a blotting motion to work the detergent into the affected area. If spot is being removed continue applying detergent and blotting with a white paper towel until spot is removed.

Rinse with tap water using a spray bottle, blot to remove excess moisture.

Spray lightly with water, do not blot this time; apply pad of paper towels and brick and allow to dry.

If there is still some stain on the carpet and blotting is not removing it, then moisten the tufts in the stained area with 3% hydrogen peroxide. Let stand for on (1) hour. Blot and repeat until carpet is stain free. Light will cause peroxide to change back to water so no rinsing is necessary. Apply pad of paper towels and weight down with brick.

Blot to remove excess liquid or stain. Carefully wet stained area with 7-Up¨ or tonic water and blot with paper towel. Repeat wetting and blotting until no stain is evident on towel.

Rinse with clear water and blot dry. If fabric stain is persistent, wet stained area with water. Apply small amount of detergent/water solution, work into stained area with sponge and blot. Repeat detergent/water application until no stain is evident on towel.

Rinse with clear water to remove traces of detergent and blot dry. It is important to remove all traces of detergent to prevent rapid resoiling.

If fabric stain is persistent, apply 3% hydrogen peroxide. Let stand four hours and blot. Reapply 3% hydrogen peroxide, allow to stand 24 hours. Blot and allow to air dry for 48 hours. If stain is still evident, repeat with hydrogen peroxide.

When stain is no longer visible, rinse with clear water and blot dry.

*Important - ALWAYS read and follow the care instructions and any warnings provided by the carpet or upholstery manufacturer. Carpeting and upholstery with natural fibers and/or certain dyes or finishes may require special treatment. If in doubt contact Van's Carpet Cleaning for advice/service first. NEVER PROCEED with any stain removal instructions without knowing the exact nature of the stain involved. NEVER USE any retail products to remove stains from carpet or upholstery without seeking the advice of the manufacturer or you could void your warranty.

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Hayley Dunford @ Realty Ctr International, Eustis Fl

I was impressed with Ivy when making my first phone call; she was so friendly & accommodating and this means alot first of all. “Ernie” made me feel he will do the best; a great job on my carpet & was also very congenial, pleasant, Ernie answered all my questions !! Yes I would recommend Van’s Carpet Cleaning service, most definitely. P.S. I was thrilled when I called & they could do my carpets ASAP!

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